The Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, has sent a private message to Pope Francis as a delegation from Damascus visiting the Vatican met on Saturday with the pontiff's two most senior diplomatic representatives.

The
contents of the message were not disclosed by the Vatican, which said
in a statement simply that Joseph Sweid, a Syrian government minister,
had met both Francis's secretary of state, Archbishop Pietro Parolin,
and foreign secretary, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.

"The
delegation brought a message from President Assad for the Holy Father
and outlined the position of the Syrian government," it added.

But, according to Sana, Syria's state-run news agency, the message set out the Assad regime's position ahead of next month's peace conference in Geneva, saying it was willing to take part in the talks but that countries supporting rebel groups would have to stop.

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